A Lost Treasure: How an adventure ends
by Gilraen Iathrim
Summary: As Clara is assigned a task of her own for their continued journey and the fate of the world rests upon her and a little hobbits shoulders, the road ahead gets even more dangerous. She is to steal the Arkenstone from the assigned King of the Mountain and this is something that will result in trouble. [Part 2 of A Lost Treasure. Kili/OC. Rated T to be safe]
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"_Clara, my dear child. Your task will be hard. Harder than you have ever imagined it to be. And I am sorry for what I am about to tell you."_

_The voice was fleeting and dreamlike, yet firm and warm like one of a father. _

_Clara rose her head where she sat, leaned against the cliff, and her eyes scanned the darkness. She was not scared. No, the voice did not allow her to be. _

"_Who are you?" She called out, despite the fact that her friends slept beside her. She needed to know. _

"_I am Irmo. I am the master of dreams, visions and illusions." From the shadows stepped a tall man. Light glowed about him and made the night bright as day. _

"_Is this a dream?" Clara rose slowly, her eyes glued to the bright man before her. He had the same fair face as an elf, but yet he was so much more. _

"_Both yes and no", replied the man and smiled. "You are indeed asleep, but you are also awake. And you, my dear, will remember this clearer than any dream." He extended his hand towards her. "Come with me and I will show you your task." _

_Hesitantly, Clara put her hand into his. It was so much bigger than her own and she felt like a little child once more, holding the hand of her father. _

_Irmo lead her up the path of the Carrock, the night silent about them. It was as if the man had stopped the entire night with his presence, something Clara actually did not think too impossible. He was someone powerful, that she understood very well. _

"_What is this all about?" Her eyes was glued to the distant mountain and her hand clasped Irmo's hard. The height was still something that bothered her, dream or no dream, and she felt rather ashamed over the fact that she acted like a child in the presence of this mighty lord. _

"_This." Irmo gestured to the land before their feet and hugged her hand in a calming way. "This is the way you and your companions have to take. To the Lonely Mountain." Clara nodded. This was something she already knew very well. What other way was there? "And this way will also lead you to your home. To your world. The world of Men and Men alone." Irmo smiled, almost a little sadly. "I am aware of that you have never heard all the legends of this land, but I can assure you that in your memory, you have them. Just as you have the Tongue of the Commoners and that of the Elves." As he spoke, Clara realised that he had changed into the Elvish language and to her surprise, she replied in the same tongue._

"_And what is this task you spoke of?" _

"_The task that lay before you is hard. I cannot say how it will end, for I cannot foretell endings, but I know it will be harder than intended for you." Irmo sighed deeply, his eyes meeting hers. His eyes was old, older than even those of the Lord Elrond and the Lady Galadriel, and it surprised her. For he did not look older than any other elf she had earlier met. "Your friends have become too important to you and that will end in loss and grief. I am afraid these losses will be troubling for you." Irmo paused for a moment, his eyes seeking the solitary peak. _

"_What losses are you speaking of, my lord?" Clara frowned, an uneasy feeling growing in her chest. _

"_I am sorry, my dear child, but that I cannot tell you." The lord pursed his lips and hugged her hand comfortingly. "Now, your task." He turned back to look at her, his eyes dark and sad. "One of your friends carry something. Something of great importance. This is something that cannot come to light. He has to keep it hidden and not let anyone else take it from him. It is dangerous, more dangerous than anything." Irmo sighed deeply at this, his eyes growing distant. "You have to make sure he only uses it for good purposes." _

"_And who is this? And what does he carry?" Clara frowned, suspicions already clouding her mind. _

"_The hobbit. Bilbo Baggins. He carrys a ring of gold. A powerful ring." Irmo smiled softly at her worried expression and lifted a hand to her hair. His fingers stroke over the ring hanging from one of her braids. "To help you see him when he uses this ring, you have received one of your own. Your friend did not know of this when he gifted this to you, but this ring is the making of the Valar." Irmo now also raised his second hand and with soft fingers, he loosened the ring from her hair. "Whenever the hobbit wears his ring, slip this upon your finger and you will be as him. Remember, though, that he is the only one to know of this. None other can know that you carry a ring as his." Irmo placed the ring in her palm and smiled. "Guard it well." He closed her fingers around it and then took a step back, as if he was about to leave. _

"_Is this my only task?" Clara frowned, gripping the ring tightly. No losses were a part of this and it made her suspicious._

"_No, it is not." The man before her once more received a troubled expression upon his face. "By the help of this ring and your little friend, you have to take something. Something that will cost much." He paused to take a deep breath. "You must take the Arkenstone from its place in the treasure and bury it under the roots of the Mountain. It has caused much harm to the dwarves and their kin, but their creator will not allow this any more." He met her gaze, a gaze full of so many memories and sorrows. "But this will cost you greatly. The lord of the dwarves have grown greedy for this price and a sickness lingers in his thoughts. You must not let him have it for any other purpose than to bury it where it can never come to light again." _

"_I understand." Clara nodded slowly and turned her eyes towards the Mountain in the distance. Worries clouded her mind as she saw its mighty shadow. How was she to claim what Thorin so greatly wished to have? _

"_Good." Irmo placed a comforting hand upon her shoulder. "Remember. None other than the hobbit is to know of this." His eyes met hers one last time, before he stepped back and the darkness grew thick "Good luck, my child." His voice echoed around her, as she slowly returned to the world of the wake._

**_Author's note:_**_ Righto, here's the prologue for the next part of A Lost Treasure :) I really hope you will like it and that you will all be fine with the fact that I will make my own little twist on it all. I will not follow the book like a slave and instead make it more about the things I want to concentrate on. I hope I won't disappoint you with this one, since it will be a bit different from the first one and contain more of my own things than that one. Happy reading! xx_


	2. Merry morning

**Merry morning**

"Oi, you lazy rocks, get up!" Bofur's voice was unwelcome in the early light of the morning and he did not get much of a response from the sleeping forms before him.

"Come on now, we have to head off!" Thorin's deeper and more powerful voice caused some more movements and as Gandalf started to poke the sleeping with his staff, the first also started to rise.

"All I want now is food, a warm bath and a soft bed." Clara murmured quietly to herself as she rose, yawning.

As she rose her hands to her hair and started to run her fingers through it, she came upon an unfamiliar bead.

Her eyes grew wide with realisation as the dream returned to her mind and she remembered the words of Irmo.

The bead sat in the place of the ring and she frowned as she lowered her hands and started to search her pockets. Where could the ring have gone?

Around her, the dwarves were slowly awakening and stretching their stiff muscles. The distress of the girl passed them by as they complained about their various injuries and rumbling bellies.

"We need to travel for a little while today." Gandalf leaned upon his staff and let his eyes travel the gathered. "It is not long though, for we will soon come to a small river where you can take the time to wash and drink. But food will not be on the menu until we reach our destination." The old wizard watched them, a troubled expression upon his face. The lack of food was something that he did not like.

"We will have to do with what we have." Thorin sighed and his fingers thoughtfully stroke his dark beard. "And with what we find. Let us move." He nodded, as if mostly to himself, and then turned and started to lead the way down the path, followed by the company.

The night before, they had stayed under the protection of the cliff, which bore the name of Carrock, and they had slept uneasily in its shadow. They all knew there were still many miles to go and that their rumbling bellies would not calm down by themselves.

"Are you all right?" Kili watched thoughtfully as Clara ran her fingers through her various pockets and studied the ground where she had slept.

"I am perfectly fine." Clara looked up for a moment, her eyes darting up the path leading up the Carrock, her gaze searching the stone.

"Sure about that?" The dark-haired dwarf knew very well that she was lying.

"Hundred percent." The girl shot him a quick smile, as her hand rose to her neck and her fingers touched something resting under her shirt.

A relieved expression came upon her face at this and she flashed Kili another smile, before she headed off after the other dwarves, now whistling happily to herself.

"Someone's happy." Fili grinned towards his brother as they started off side by side. "Could that have something to do with you?"

"I do not expect that." His younger brother shrugged his shoulders and pulled his hood up, as drops of rain came tumbling from the grey skies above. "She seem to have other things that makes her happy."

Fili studied his brother for a moment and then nodded slowly, his forehead knitted in thought. Something about Clara was different and he knew he and Kili was not the only ones that had noticed it.

"Can we not sing something?" Clara nudged Bofur in the side and grinned widely, her hand grasping the new necklace resting under her shirt. Somehow the ring had been put upon a thin, golden, chain around her neck and she now took every opportunity she had to check that it was still there.

"I suppose." Bofur smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "If you start."

Clara sighed, her forehead knitted in thought for a moment, before she started and the others soon joined in, the tune familiar to them all.

"_In the end we will reach our goal_

_Oh, Mountains cold can you hear our song?_

_In the distance we can see our home_

_Come now, leave the Misty Mountains behind_

_For Erebor lays before us now_

_The fire cheerful is_

_The ale flowing long_

_The meat roast over the dancing flame_

_Oh, Mountains cold, can you hear our song?_

_Erebor can give what we crave_

_Come now, let us drive the dragon away_

_For Erebor is nearer now_

_Before our feet the Long Lake rests_

_The water is flowing gold_

_So close can we see our home_

_We return now with meat for the feast_

_Oh, Mountains cold, can you hear our song?_

_The music echoes the halls_

_Come now, let us bring our fair women home_

_For Erebor is ours now."_

In their usual, cheerful manner, they danced around each other in happiness. Their hands gripped each others as they swung around to the music and their voices was loud in the still day.

It was as if they brightened the day, as the rain stopped and the blue sky appeared. The weather got warmer and the sun smiled down upon them.

At the words _"Come now, let us bring our fair women home"_, Kili was suddenly there, cheerful as always and his hands spun Clara into his strong arms. The other dwarves laughed in delight as the girl blushed and the young dwarf placed a kiss upon her hair when he let her go. His feelings for her was no longer in hiding.

Clara had not been prepared on the small feast their song had created and she was therefore rather breathless as she fell back into the group and they kept on walking. Her cheeks burned after the affectionate way Kili had danced with her and she felt a tingle escape from the place where his lips had touched her. It was so strange and lovely, that she barely knew where to go and she therefore just followed the others and kept a hand gripping the ring around her neck. It comforted her confused mind slightly. She needed comfort right then. The dream had affected her more than she wanted to admit.

There was so much she needed an explanation of. Why her, of all people? And why was she forced to steal from those that were her friends? It did not feel right. Not at all. It would just make her a traitor and make her lose all that she had gained during the past weeks and months.

And what about those losses? She had not signed up to lose her friends to death. No, she would not accept something like that.

Looking up thoughtfully, she watched as the dwarves spoke happily to one another. They had gone through so much together, and despite their terrible state, they still could laugh about it. She loved that about them. They did not know of her troubles. They only knew that they were even closer to their long-lost home than they had ever been before and that was enough.

"Clara?" The sound of Bilbo's voice beside her, caused her to wake from her thoughts and she smiled questioningly towards the hobbit. "Is everything all right with you?" His brow was furrowed in thought and she laughed softly, her hand coming to rest upon his shoulder.

"Of course. I just have a lot on my mind at the moment." She shrugged her shoulders and smiled down towards him.

"You do?" The little hobbit raised his eyebrows in surprise at this. "What can you have to worry about? There is nothing that are troubling us at the moment." He smiled softly and she nodded, knowing he was right. Their group was not pursued or in danger. Not at the moment at least.

"I know." She sighed, biting her lip in thought as she watched him where he walked along beside her. "Though I have something I need to tell you. Something important." Her eyes flickered to the dwarves surrounding them and she knew this was the wrong place to take up her task. "Concerning your ring." Her voice was no more than a whisper, but she knew that Bilbo had heard her, by the way his eyes widened in shock.

"How do you..?" His mouth hung open slightly and his hand slid into the pocket of his waistcoat, undoubtedly to check if the golden ring was still there. By his relieved look, she knew that it was.

"We cannot take it here." Her hand slipped off his shoulder, as Dwalin sent them a suspicious look from where he walked before them. "None other can hear what I have to say."

Bilbo nodded gravely, his hand slipping from his pocket to come and rest upon the hilt of his little sword.

"Very well", he murmured, his eyes hard. "But I demand you explanation to be good."

With that he fell back to walk with Balin, leaving the girl alone. She knew he was suspicious towards him now and she knew he had all right to be. They all had.

After just a short walk, they reached the small river and they finally got something to drink. The weather was warm and the water was cool as they splashed into it, drinking without hesitation.

"Oh, I really need to bath!" Dori brushed some mud off of his coat and received agreeing nods from the other dwarves.

"Same here." Clara bent down and cupped some water in her hands, sipping it quickly before it ran through her fingers. "Let's do it like this." She rose again, her loud voice catching the attention of the dwarves. "I will go further upstream, somewhere behind that hill or something and you will stay here. That way, we all get to wash ourselves properly."

"How will you know when we are done, though?" Dori watched her, his brow knitted. "None of us would fancy having you seeing... everything." His words caused her to blush and she saw the uncomfortable expressions of the other dwarves as the thought also reached their minds.

"One of you can either hoot like an owl thrice, or play a tune on one of your flutes. Either of that would work. Or just scream loud enough." She smiled softly, before she waded up from the water and watched as they all watched the flowing river longingly. "All right?"

The dwarves nodded and with that she turned and started to make her way upwards. She could not wait to finally wash herself again. The last time had been in Rivendell, so very long ago.

A smile reached her lips as she turned, only to find the dwarves already starting to pile their weapons on the bank and pull their tunics off.

A blush came upon her cheeks, as her eyes found Kili where he stood, nothing but his breeches and shoes on, looking quite handsome. And she knew, as a cheeky grin came upon his lips and his eyes found hers, that he knew she had seen him.

Turning, both in embarrassment and shame, she hurried up the small slope and down the other side. She knew that the dwarves probably would not be very happy if they found her standing there when they were... wearing nothing. And, frankly, she was not really prepared to see their entire... dwarfishness yet. No matter how they looked.

It took only a few minutes, before she found a little sandy piece of land by the river and she was out of sight from the dwarves.

She knew that she should not go any further and she therefore pulled her quiver over her head and placed it in the sand, her entire body itching to get into the water.

Within just a few seconds, she had placed her sword next to the quiver and pealed her dirty clothes off. She knew they could also do with a wash, and therefore brought them along as she waded into the cool water.

The stream was faint and the water heavenly as it touched her bruised and battered body. She was really in a worse state than she had thought, with bruises covering her arms, legs, back and stomach by all the various falls and blows she had had lately.

Quickly washing the worst out of her clothes, she placed them on a flat rock and then dipped herself under the surface of the water.

Her hair flowed out around her as she reached the quiet world bellow, and everything seemed to slow down as she enjoyed the peace under the surface. How she had missed this.

Once again rising above the surface, her hands scrubbed her body and ran through her hair, as she washed all the mud and blood off.

Her hands stopped as they reached her stomach and a finger ran over the sharp scar that leapt over her skin. Gandalf had tried his best at healing her wound the night before, and she was happy about that, but this scar would always be there to remind her of it. Of the burning pain it had caused her for so many nights and days.

She shivered and bit her lip as she continued to scrub, watching every new bruise and scratch she found sharply.

As suddenly the call of her name rung out, loud and demanding, she realised that her time of washing was over. The dwarves were done.

Wading up from the water, her hair clinging to her back, she sat down upon the flat rock next to her clothes, letting the sun dry her skin. She probably would have dozed of there and then, if not another call was heard, this time closer.

"Clara! Come on! Five more minutes and then we come over there and fetch you!" She recognised Fili's voice and she rolled her eyes as she got up and started to dress herself. He was going to pay for that later on, that was for sure. For she did not doubt he actually meant what he said.

With quick fingers, she braided her hair in a single braid and then gripped her weapons, starting to head back. She did not have any other option, really.

_Author's note: All right, so here is the first official part. I have had a bit of a problem with continuing with this, since I have been trying to figure out how I should write it all, so I'm sorry if some parts are crappy.  
Anyway, I just thought I could warn you: Kili and Clara will get a bit closer in this one, which is why I will be hinting about their relationship sometimes. I am going to try my best not to let it take over entirely and instead concentrate on other things, but I just thought I should let you know that it will show up once in a while. It is needed for my planned ending, so, yeah :) So, I hope everyone who read the last one will find their way here and not think I have given up on this story or anything ^^_


	3. Rare Rings

**Rare Rings**

"You are rude." Clara glared at Fili as she came down the slope to where the dwarves sat in the sunshine, in no rush at all.

"Excuse me?" The blonde dwarf grinned towards her where he sat next to Ori, looking way too pleased with himself for her liking.

"Apology accepted." She stuck her tongue out towards him and then looked expectantly towards Gandalf, whom was the only one still standing beside herself.

"We need to press on." The old wizard frowned, seeming deep in thought. "And I believe I have dwelt with you all far too long." His words caused them all to look up and rise from the ground, gathering around him.

"What do you mean, old friend?" Thorin was the one looking most troubled and he fingered nervously on the key around his neck. "It sounds as if you are about to tell us goodbye."

Gandalf sighed and he patted Thorin on the shoulder, his eyes serious and dark.

"That is what I mean to do. I have already followed you longer than I intended and I have more pressing matters to attend to."

"But you cannot leave! Not now!" Kili's call got many agreeing nods and voices and Gandalf raised his hands to hush them down.

"I will return to you before the end, and I am not to leave you here and now. I will take you to the man that rules these lands first. Then we will see what happens." With that he urged them to move on and started to cross the ford. The water was a little deeper here and as Bilbo was so short, Dwalin was the one to carry him over, to the dismay of them both.

Then they continued forward. The country was low and clad in swaying grass. The Misty Mountains could be seen in the distance behind them and the big forest of Mirkwood as a thin line before, growing ever bigger as they walked.

"I am sad to hear of your departure, Gandalf." Clara looked up at the wizard, where the two of them walked in the front of the group.

"You know that it is necessary, my dear." Gandalf smiled sadly down towards her. "You heard of what Radagast found in the fortress of Dol Guldur and he needs my help in that. Mine and Saruman's." Clara nodded slowly, her eyes growing serious as he reminded her of the meeting in Rivendell.

"That will need your help all right." She smiled up towards him, before they both fell silent and concentrated on their own thoughts.

It was later the same afternoon, when they took another break, that Clara revealed her secret to an unsuspecting Bilbo.

They had all sat down in the high grass, enjoying the sun and the soft wind, when Bilbo remembered what the girl had told him earlier that morning. It had been nagging him for many an hour that day and he finally had had enough of it.

"Clara", he whispered quietly to the girl, where she sat beside him.

"Yeah?" She raised her eyebrows towards him, meeting his gaze.

"You know that thing you had to tell me?" He nodded away down the road and she nodded back, before the two of them rose from their places.

"Where are you two going?" Dwalin looked at them suspiciously and stroke his fingers over his beard. "It can be dangerous out here."

"We just have to take care of something that cannot wait." Clara flickered him a smile and her hand came to rest upon the hilt of her sword. "And do not worry about us, Mr Dwalin. We can take care of ourselves."

With that, the two of them headed off some way down the road and sat down upon a rock, covered in moss and old grass. The gazes of the dwarves followed them as they went and they knew every movement they made was to be watched, even though nothing of what they said could be heard.

"So, what is this all about?" Bilbo frowned towards the girl as they sat down, their eyes meeting. "You mentioned my ring. How do you know of it?" With a shaking hand, he pulled it out of his pocket and the gold glimmered in the sunshine.

"I had a vision last night." Clara bit her lip, her hands reaching up and unclasping the new necklace from around her neck. "A vision created by a lord named Irmo."

"You cannot mean the Valar bearing the name of Irmo?" Bilbo stared at her for a moment, before his eyes flickered down to the ring of silver in her hands. "And that? What is that? Where did you get that?"

"Kili gave it to me long ago, but it was given to him by the Valar without his knowing. It is of the same kind as yours. Or, that is what I understood at least." She cradled the ring in her hands, watching its smooth surface that glimmered in the sunshine. Why her, of all people? Why was she the one to guard over Bilbo's ring and keep her own safe?

"I believe you will need to tell me everything Lord Irmo told you. That way, I will understand everything." Bilbo smiled, slipping his golden treasure into his pocket, before he watched her carefully.

"I suppose that would be good." Clara smiled back and once more put her own ring around her neck. "But promise me that you will speak to none of this. None is to know about my vision. Not even Gandalf." She met his gaze and he nodded gravely.

"I understand." Bilbo nodded and with eyes growing ever grave, he listened to Clara's story.

"What on earth can they have to speak of?" Dwalin glared towards Clara and Bilbo, his eyes narrowing slightly. They all had to get moving and they looked way too comfortable together where they sat.

"There are many things that they can speak of, dear brother." Balin smiled towards the younger dwarf and stroke his beard. "They have a close relationship those two and I believe they might need some time alone. Without dwarves around." The white-haired dwarf smiled and his brother huffed, dissatisfied.

"But I do not like it. Something is not right here." Dwalin looked over towards the girl and the hobbit again, before he turned his eyes to the ground. He knew he would not get anywhere with this at the moment. But he would remember it and not give up with finding it all out.

"Do you understand now why I cannot tell anyone else of this?" Clara leaned her chin in her hands, taking a deep breath to clear her head. Her story had gotten longer than intended and she was feeling rather drained.

"I understand." Bilbo nodded slowly. "Though it is a dangerous task you have before you. Thorin will not be pleased if he ever finds it out."

"I know." The girl sighed deeply, rubbing a hand over her face. "I hate thinking of the fact that I will betray them all right at the end. They will never trust me again." Her eyes flickered towards the dwarves and she bit her lip. She had grown close to them and now she was to be separated from them. It was something that would make her unable to live on. She would give up and not care for what would happen to her.

"I believe", said the hobbit, his eyes dark and grave, "That the Valar has intended happiness for you. This is only a small bump in the road to make you show your worth." He smiled softly and his hand gripped hers comfortingly. "They will bring you happiness in the end."

Clara looked at him for a moment, hugging his hand, before she smiled back towards him. She always forgot that, even though he was small, he contained such incredible wisdom.

"I dearly hope you are right, Bilbo Baggins. I dearly hope that." She rose slowly, stretching her tired legs, before turning back towards him. "Remember to keep this a secret." Her hand touched the necklace she bore and he nodded gravely.

"I will. If you remember to stay positive. We cannot afford to lose your spirit." He smiled and rose too, his furry feet digging into the soft grass.

"Promise." She smiled brightly and together, the two of them headed back towards the dwarves, both thinking the same thought: They were going to destroy the entire quest.

"Finally!" Dori sighed deeply as he rose from the ground and brushed his coat off. "I thought you two had been glued to that rock." He grinned towards the girl and the hobbit, and placed a hand upon Clara's shoulder.

"As if we would have been able to leave it then." Clara chuckled softly and shook her head. "Then we would still be sitting there while you all went on and had all the fun without us. That would not do at all." She smiled, trying to hide the breaking of her heart as she spoke. She did not like having to act as if everything was as it should.

"I believe we should continue then if all are feeling rested enough." Gandalf leaned heavily upon his staff and let his eyes travel over the gathered. "It is not far now. We will soon see the beginning of his estate."

"Whose estate?" Bilbo raised his eyebrows in confusion and the dwarves nodded encouragingly, having grown tired of secrets.

"A very powerful man living in this part of the world. He is the one that named the Carrock and keeps these lands free from foes." Gandalf sighed deeply, knowing he was not going to get anywhere without explaining everything carefully. "He is a quite easily angered, so when we are to meet him, I will introduce you all two and two to keep him on his good side."

"Are you sure we should really head to someone that are so easily angered? Is there no one else that we can ask for help?" Kili looked up at Gandalf, almost a little shyly, and got an agreeing nod from his brother.

"I agree. We should need a better explanation before we get into something that could be dangerous." Fili placed a hand upon Kili's shoulder and Gandalf sighed as he looked at the two.

"If you really have to know, his name is Beorn. He is of the Beorlings and a skin-changer. During the night, he takes the shape of a giant bear and in the days a man. A very large man." The old wizard looked sharply upon them all. "He is one of the few that actually lives in these lands, so the next that could give you a safe haven are the elves of Mirkwood and I believe they would be less friendly than Beorn." As he mentioned the elves, the dwarves protested loudly and Gandalf smiled behind his beard. "That is your choice, dear friends. Beorn or the elves."

The dwarves debated among themselves for a short minute, before Thorin stepped forward.

"I suppose this Beorn sounds as if he can give us the help we will need. Lead on, Master Gandalf."

Gandalf smiled contently and then started off down the road, followed by the rest.

It did not take long, before the grass started to sink away and the air filled with the sweet scent of flowers.

The road passed through a landscape that was full of beautifully planted flowers in every colour and with the air full of scents and the sound of bees.

Clara was quick to notice the size of the bees, as she bent down to a pick a blue flower from its place. The bee, having been sitting upon a flower nearby, was as big as her thumb and she watched fascinated as the yellow stripes upon its body glimmered like gold in the sunshine.

"These bees are amazing!" She got up, the flower forgotten, and grinned widely towards the surrounding dwarves. "Don't you agree?" She looked expectantly upon her friends, but none of them looked very convinced.

"I believe their sting would hurt quite a bit", murmured Dori and, protectively, pulled Ori away from the bee he was studying as it buzzed angrily.

"As long as you do not annoy them, I am sure there will no problems." Clara smiled again, before she pulled her cloak from her shoulders and hung it over her arm. It was a warm day and she knew she would not need it until the night came, so there was really no need in wearing it any further.

"I believe here is a good place for you to wait." As they reached the beginning of a small forest of old oaks and a thick hedge of thorn, Gandalf stopped them. "As I said, I will introduce you all two and two, so you will all wait here. Bombur, you will go last, as I believe you count as two with your weight." Bombur protested loudly at this, but Gandalf would not hear it. For a little while longer, he was in command.

"I could go with you if you like." Clara smiled towards the big dwarf and got a small smile in return. She had already figured out that this way they would be split even.

"No Clara, I would prefer if you went alone as one of the first. I believe Beorn would be nicer towards the rest if another human came. Let put you right after Thorin and..." He thought for a moment, before he chose the right dwarf. "Dori. You two can come when I whistle and then the rest will come with five minutes between." Gandalf smiled, pleased with himself, before he turned to Bilbo. "Come, Mr Baggins. You will go with me." He urged the little hobbit forward and then looked towards Thorin. "Remember, come when I whistle. Neither sooner nor later. And then five minutes between." At his last words, he looked upon Bombur with sharp eyes and the dwarf took a quick step backwards from Kili, as he had been trying to convince him into switch places with him.

With that, the tall wizard in his grey garb, headed down the road, with the curly-haired hobbit by his side.

The dwarves watched as they went for a moment, before they sat down in the grass, preparing themselves for the wait.

_Author's note: Okay, so firstly, I just want to apologise for being so slow at writing! I have been gone for a long time, I know that, and I'm really, really, really sorry about that. I really hope you have not given up on me or anything!  
I've just had such a terrible writer's block and I haven't really known what to do with myself. I had barely written a word since the last part when I sat down yesterday and I have just been so frustrated.  
To top it all, school started two weeks ago and it's all already up and spinning. I have already got tons of homework to do and I promise I will do my best to update my stories as soon as possible, but I really can't promise anything. School has to go first.  
So if I'm absent for a long time again, you're most welcome to send me a PM to ask what the heck I'm doing, message me on Tumblr (damnseaweedbrain) or tweet me ( DamSeaweedBrain). I will reply as soon as possible, promise! :)  
Other? Well, I have created a roleplaying account for Clara on Instagram. I've already got one for Meera (The King's Sister) and I thought it was about time to get something up for Clara too :) So if you want to follow it, it's LadyClaraWalsh .  
Until next time!_


	4. Beorn Beorling

**Beorn Beorling**

It took about twenty minutes, before a loud whistle rung out and it was time for Thorin and Dori to leave. They did not look very happy about being first, but without any complaint, they set off down the road, while Clara prepared herself to head after them. She did not have any clock, so instead she started to count and tried her best not to look too nervous. She was about to head into the house of a man known to be ill-tempered and she was supposed to do it by herself, which did not make it less scary.

"Are you feeling okay with going by yourself?" Without her noticing it, Kili had sneaked up next to her and she now looked up in surprise at him.

"Yes, yes, of course." She smiled hesitantly and her hand nervously stroke a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I mean, Gandalf and the others will be there and then you will all come, so I will be fine." His interruption had caused her to lost count and her head now struggled to try and see if it was time to leave yet or not.

"Good." He looked upon her for a moment, before he gestured towards the road. "You should probably head of."

"Ah, yes. I should." She smiled quickly, her hands adjusting the strap that held her quiver in check, before she nodded towards him and the others. "I will see you all soon, I suppose."

She started to head down the road in a quick pace, just as another whistle was heard through the still day. It came from over the thick hedge and Clara therefore searched closely for any kind of gate to pass through.

It did not take long, though, and she soon found herself looking through a wooden gate upon a long building.

A courtyard lay before her feet and with hesitation she stepped inside. She was not entirely sure about where to head, but seeing as the house where Beorn most certainly lived lay right before her, she decided to try this.

Passing over the grass, she noticed the great bee-hives that stood in one corner, with the beautiful, massive bees creeping out and in, always humming and buzzing.

Opposite from this, her eyes found a group of beautiful horses. They all stood completely still as she passed, their coat shining in the sun and their eyes bearing an intelligent expression. She knew somehow that they already knew her purpose there, and that they would not stop her from fulfilling it.

She studied them for a moment, her eyes running over their shimmering coats and their dark eyes looking back at her, following every step she took towards the big house. They were the kind of horses people would only dream of meeting in her world. The kind children would imagine to be unicorns, for with their intelligent eyes, they could almost look this way to some.

"Though, Clara, unicorns don't exist, so stop it." She murmured to herself, intently watched by the horses, and shook her head. "Though, of course, I never thought this world existed either, so maybe I should just be quiet."

She smiled to herself, before she started towards the house again. Voices could be heard through the open door and carefully, she stepped inside.  
The room was dim, lit only by a big fire in the middle of the room. Or, rather it was a hall, for it was bigger than any other room Clara had ever seen. It almost felt as if she had shrunk and stepped into the house of a giant.  
Looking upon the furniture of the room, it almost looked like the house of a giant. Everything was almost double the size of usual things and the massive chair in the corner was only one example on it. She was almost positive that Bilbo would have been able to sleep in that chair without feeling the least bit comfortable.

The warmth of the room and the big furniture, scared her a little and with quick steps she started following the voices again, out through a smaller door.

Now she found herself out in the sun again and once more it took a little time for her eyes to adjust to the brightness.  
When they did, she found herself looking upon a massive man. His hair and beard was long and dark, his body muscular and his eyes dark and unreadable.

"Master Beorn", she said, meeting his gaze and bowing hesitantly. Her eyes flickered from his, to where Gandalf, Bilbo, Thorin and Dori sat on a bench, looking upon her as she greeted the master of the house.

"No 'At your service', is it?" Beorn called upon her attention and her eyes flew back to him, as a blush came to her cheeks.  
"I..I..." She stuttered, her blush deepening as he laughed.

"That is very well, dear friend. I am in no need of any service, so you made me very pleased by not offering yours." He smiled towards her and she smiled back, surprised by the warmth resting in his voice. By the way Gandalf had described him, she had thought he was to be cold and angry constantly. "Tell me, what is your name? I can see that you are neither hobbit nor dwarf. Perhaps are you another wizard, like Master Gandalf? Or are you a human like me?" His dark eyes studied her intently as she tried to form words to reply.

"My name is Clara, and as you rightly guessed, I am a human. No magical powers rests in me, as it does in Master Gandalf." She smiled carefully and the big man nodded.

"It is an honour to have you in my house, dear child of the Men." He bowed his head quickly, before he gestured to her to take a seat and turned back to Gandalf.

Taking a deep breath of relief over how well it all had gone, she seated herself upon one of the wooden benches next to Bilbo. Her mind was drowsy by the heat and to the sound of Gandalf telling the tale of their journey. She already knew all there was to know and she therefore did not pay much attention. She merely smiled to herself on those spots when Gandalf made the 'mistake' of mentioning their numbers and yet two other dwarves joined their company.

Within a short amount of time, Ori, Nori, Balin, Dwalin, Fili, Kili, Oin and Gloin had all showed up, bowing and offering services which Beorn grumpily rejected. He had had enough of services and he was not happy that more and more dwarves seemed to show up more often than he liked.

But he did not get cross with Gandalf for bringing so many uninvited to his house. No, rather did he only get more interested of what the wizard could think of to present next.

"Sixteen? How can you call one human, one wizard, one hobbit and ten dwarves sixteen?" Beorn growled, as Gandalf started to speak of their flight up into the trees during the attack of the orcs and wargs.

"Ah, yes, but here we have Bofur and Bifur." Gandalf nodded towards the path coming around the house, where the two dwarves came trotting.

"And I!" Right behind them, came also Bombur, looking rather grumpy and hurrying to catch up with his brothers. It was rather obvious that he had not waited 'til last like he was supposed to.

Gandalf did not look very pleased about this, but as Beorn did not comment it, he did not either.

Instead the old wizard kept on speaking, almost a little eager to finish his story that he had been telling for quite a while now. And also Beorn had himself started to become rather interested in it all and now asked the wizard to avoid any more interruptions. That, on the other hand, was something he was tired of. That and dwarves offering him their service.

It was about an hour or so later, that Gandalf finally finished his tale and Beorn seemed to be filled in on everything.  
The sun had already reached the horizon and the company felt their stomaches growl by hunger. They had not eaten for much too long now and they all looked rather pleadingly towards Beorn, as he stood up and stretched his massive body out.  
"I believe that after such an entertaining and interesting story, we all need to have something to eat. Let us head inside." He waved one of his big hands towards them, before he turned and headed in through the door to the fire-lit room.

Inside, a table had already been set with the massive chair Clara had noticed placed at the end. But the room was still rather dark and they all squinted as they tried not to step on each other.

Beorn clapped his hands and before they all had the time to react, four of the beautiful ponies and a group of big, grey dogs came in. The big man spoke to them in a language none of the others understood and then the animals headed out again, only to return a moment later carrying torches in their mouths.

Together, they moved around the room, lighting the fire and brighting up the room before the guests and the host sat down around the table.

Clara found herself placed next to Kili, with Fili opposite from her and Gandalf on her right. Beorn sat next to him in his chair and on his immediate right, sat Thorin. Bilbo had been placed next to Fili, and he sat there, occupied in a conversation with Balin.

Everyone spoke quietly as they waited for the food, hoping for the return of the marvelous animals. None of them had never seen anything like it. Not even Gandalf or Thorin, whom both had lived longer than any other in the company.

"This remind me of a movie I once saw." Clara smiled to herself where she sat, her eyes finding the two young dwarves sitting near her. The brothers exchanged a wondering look.

"Movie? What is a movie?" Fili frowned and leaned his chin in his hand. "I have never heard of such a thing. Is it a sort of song that you can... see? Or a book, perhaps?"

Clara laughed quietly and shook her head. Yet again she had forgotten that they did not know of the things she was used to see and have back home.

"You could actually say it is like a book, yes. Though it is like living pictures that you can watch. People reenact a story and they use something called a camera to capture it for other people to see for years to come. It is rather marvellous, when you think of it." She saw the confused looks of the brothers and laughed again. She was clearly not good at explaining. "You know what, forget it. It is nothing important anyway."

"That it is not important, does not mean it is not interesting." Kili grinned towards her and she felt his hand touch hers comfortingly. "Go on, tell us of these 'movies'!" His voice was exited and happy and as she met his dark eyes with her own, she knew she could not refuse.

"I suppose I could try my best at explaining, then." She took a deep breath, before she started again, much to the amusement of the two brothers.

"So you say this girl, this human girl, is not from here?" Beorn frowned deeply as he looked towards where Clara was seated, deep in conversation with two of the young dwarves and the little hobbit. He had not yet entirely caught all the names and he was not sure if he wanted to do it or not. They all seemed too many to be remembered correctly anyway.

"That is right." Gandalf nodded and set his wooden bowl down upon the table. "I have no idea of how she came to our world, but I do suspect the Valar can have something to do with this. She is clearly not here without a reason."

"I see." The dark-haired man nodded and stroke his beard. He was slowly growing drowsy by the food and drink and all the stories. "It sounds like a rather marvellous tale, indeed. And you say she speaks the Elven language of Sindarin too?"

"I believe she does, yes. A gift I recall Lord Elrond said it was. She has not spoken much yet, but I guess she might become a little more talkative if you really push her to it."

"Not that we should." Thorin looked up from his bowl and frowned. "She is better of learning Khuzdul if she is to speak any language of Middle-Earth's."

"Now, Master Oakenshield, there is no need for that. The Elven language will prove you useful in the forest of Mirkwood. There lives the Wood Elves, lead by King Thranduil. Having one who speaks their language among you might give you an opportunity to make peace." Beorn raised his eyebrows towards the dwarven lord and received an unpleased murmur in reply. Thorin was not convinced.

"Clara, I think you are drunk." Kili wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders, as she laughed hysterically at something his brother had said a moment ago.

"I think you're right, Kili." She winked towards him, before she snaked out of his grip and raised her bowl. "Cheers, guys!" She nodded towards the other dwarves, whom all called out back towards her before they downed everything that was left in their bowls.

"I think you should calm down on the mead, my friend." The dark-haired dwarf laughed quietly at her suddenly grumpy face. "Trust me, you will be happy about it tomorrow."

"He's right, you know." Fili grinned widely towards her from across the table.

"All right, I promise I have had enough." She pushed the bowl away from her and then rose from her place. "I think I will get a little air." She stepped over the low bench she had been seated on and started towards the small door in the back.

Gandalf was quick at noticing this and as the girl disappeared outside, he exchanged a quick look with Beorn, before he turned towards Kili.

"Go with her, will you my lad? She should not be alone out there. Come back as soon as possible." The old wizard met the young dwarf's and he received a nod in reply. He already knew they were not supposed to head out alone at this time of night.

As Clara stepped out, she was quick to notice how cold it was. She had not thought of it before, but the autumn was slowly coming to Middle-Earth and the nights were getting colder.

Looking up towards the clear sky, with the moon hanging like a giant lamp in the sky, she shivered in the cold air and crossed her arms over her chest. She started to wish she had brought her cloak. With it, she would both have felt warmer and safer. Something about these lands unsettled her and she did not like not knowing what it was that made her feel so scared.

"Are you cold?" The soft voice behind her made her turn and she smiled softly as she met the young dwarf's gaze.

"A little, yes", she confessed and watched as he came to stand next to her by the railing of the porch. "I wish I thought of bringing my cloak. I suppose my foggy brain did not think properly in there." She rolled her eyes and he laughed quietly.

"Come here." He stretched his arms out and pulled her close, wrapping his coat around her thin body to keep her warm. "Better?" He looked down upon her, trying to ignore the fact that his heart was racing by having her so close.

"Much better. Thank you." She wrapped her arms around him as he did the same around her and he felt her lean her head against his chest. He was certain she probably could hear his beating heart. "You are always looking out for me, Kili. And I'm really bad at repaying the favour. I am really sorry about that." She looked up at him carefully, a faint blush colouring her cheeks. She had never been so close to him before and she was not entirely sure of how she was supposed to act.

"There is no need to worry about that, Clara dear. I am sure you will get a chance to repay it all sometime." He smiled softly, his voice imitating the fatherly Thorin sometimes used, knowing it would bring a smile to Clara's face.

"I suppose." She sighed and for a moment she just stood there, snuggling into his warmth, while her eyes were turned towards the stars above. "What do you think happen if I ever get returned home? What will happen to everything we have done here?" She shivered by the thought and he let his hand grip hers comfortingly.

"There is no need to worry about that right now, is there? What matters is what you do here and what happens right here and right now. The future is far away." He met her gaze as she once more looked up upon him, noticing the tears forming in her eyes.

"I am just scared, that is all. What if I forget again? What if I forget all this ever happened and live the rest of my life not knowing what I am missing?"

"Don't worry about it, Clara. Please, don't." Carefully, he placed a kiss upon her forehead and looked into her eyes. "Worries are what ruin us."

"I'm sorry." Her voice was no more than a whisper and she shook her head slowly. "I did not mean to ruin the mood." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes to pull herself together. She was too sentimental for her own good.

To the sound of a door slamming somewhere in the silence, the two quickly stepped away from one another and exchanged a quick look. They knew, already before they stepped back inside, that Beorn was gone and that there was no more going outside that night. It was time to lock the doors.

Inside, the dwarves now sat gathered around the great, blazing fire. It was the only source of light in the room and the girl and the dwarf had to walk carefully to avoid the beds that had been laid out on platforms along the walls.

The dwarves were humming softly where they sat, some with their pipes lit and the flames of the fire reflecting in their dark eyes. They looked like ancient statues, all still and dark, and Clara could not help but to watch in amazement as Kili joined them in silence, his earlier cheerful expression growing distant and dark as he joined his kin.

She seated herself next to Gandalf and curled herself up in her cloak, which she had now fetched, and watched together with the wizard as the dwarves started to sing.

"_The wind was on the withered heath,_

_but in the forest stirred no leaf:_

_there shadows lay by night and day,_

_and dark things silent crept beneath._

_The wind came down from mountains cold,_

_and like a tide it roared and rolled;_

_the branches groaned, the forest moaned,_

_and leaves were laid upon the mould._

_The wind went on from West to East;_

_all movement in the forest ceased,_

_but shrill and harsh across the marsh_

_its whistling voices were released._

_The grasses hissed, their tassels bent,_

_the reeds were rattling – on it went_

_o'er shaken pool under heavens cool_

_where racing clouds were torn and rent._

_It passed the lonely Mountain bare_

_and swept above the dragon's lair:_

_there black and dark lay boulders stark_

_and flying smoke was in the air._

_It left the world and took its flight_

_over the wide seas of the night._

_The moon set sail upon the gale,_

_and stars were fanned to leaping light."_

As the dwarves finished and slowly grew quiet, Gandalf suddenly stood in the light of the fire. His tall form cast a long shadow over the floor and his face was dark, only the grey hair and beard showing its place.

"Remember what Beorn said. None of you are to go out until the sun is up properly. Not one of you are allowed to even unlock the door. Remember that." He looked upon them firmly, before he headed over to the bed prepared for him to go to bed.

"I believe it is time for us all to sleep." Also Thorin rose and he nodded towards the others, somewhere deep in thought. "I will see you all in the morning."

After that both of their leaders had headed off to bed, the rest of the company were quick at rising form their places and find their beds. All of them were very drowsy and none of them wanted to say no to finally sleep on something else than the hard ground.

So within five minutes, nothing was heard in the house except for Bombur's snores and the quiet breathing of the others.

_Author's note: Yay! Another part is done! And it's a long one! :) Sorry for taking so much time, but I wanted it to be good and this is what I ended up with.  
Important stuff: The song is __**not**__ written by me! It is an original song from the book of The Hobbit and therefore written by our own J.R.R Tolkien. So I do not own it, nor do I claim to do so. Same with the original Hobbit story. _


	5. Nightly noises

**Nightly noises**

Clara had no idea what time it was, when she was suddenly awakened by a pounding noise.

At first, she thought it was one of the dwarves, moving on his platform, but as she sat up and looked around her, she realised this was not the case.

The dwarves were all sleeping soundly, their mingled breaths and snores echoing in the hall. They all slept hard enough to be able to keep the pounding noise out. She envied them.

Suddenly fully awake, she kicked her blankets off and rose from the platform, stepping carefully over Kili's sleeping form where he slept one step bellow her. The young dwarf moved as the platform underneath him creaked, but he did not wake up. Instead, he murmured something to himself and a content smile came to his lips. Clara could not help but to wonder what he was dreaming of.

Dreams had always been interesting to her, and she had as a child written diaries over all her different dreams. These days, she did not have the time for it and since she had arrived in Middle-Earth, there barely had been any time for dreaming.

As the young dwarf moved beside her again, she quickly stepped down from the platform to keep herself from awakening.

The hall was now chillier, as the fire had burned down to embers, and she therefore took her blanket from her bed and wrapped it around herself.

Her bare feet made no sound as she headed across the floor towards the little door in the back, the pounding noise growing ever louder as she came closer to it.

She was well aware of the fact that Gandalf had told them not to go outside, but her consciousness would not hear it. It nestled itself into her every thought, convincing her of that out there, someone was in need of help. A poor dwarf, or maybe even Beorn, was in trouble out there and she was the only one that could save him. Reason did not affect her. It was just a quieting echo in the back of her head that did not give any effect.

Pulling the massive lock to the side, the metal cold and heavy in her hands, she peeked out through the door.

The moon had gone into hiding behind a big cloud, and the stars twinkled faintly through a thin layer of mist. The garden that she had been watching just a few hours prior, was now dim and queer, long shadows cast over the many plants and bushes.

With a careful step, she sneaked outside and shivered in the cold air. Out here, the blanket did not help much.

The pounding had now stopped, but a low growl was heard somewhere to her left and heavy footsteps was heading her way through the darkness.

"Master Beorn? Is that you?" Her voice was no more than a whisper, and her breath came from her mouth in quick, scared gasps, forming into delicate clouds of smoke.

A shadow passed near the further end of the porch and she turned quickly, her heart beating furiously in her chest as she realised what she had done. She had broken the only rule of the house and now she was most certainly going to die by it.

Another growl was heard, closer this time, and the wood of the porch creaked under heavy feet. Through the darkness, her eyes spotted a big, dark shadow, slowly coming towards her.

It was now she died.

Closing her eyes, not wanting to see her attacker, she pulled the blanket closer around herself, awaiting the final blow. The wood that creaked under her feet and gust of wind brushing her face, made her heart race even faster. This was it.

But a blow never came. Instead, a strong arm wrapped itself around her waist and violently pulled her backwards.

Someone's sturdy chest was pressed against her back and she could feel another heart beating as quick as her own and quick breaths brushed her neck.

She heard the door fall shut and the big lock fall into place, before she found herself pressed against the rough wall, an angry voice in her ear.

"What on earth do you think you are doing?" Her eyes fluttered open, and they immediately caught the gaze of Kili.

His brow was knitted and his eyes sparkled with anger and fear as he stared at her. He was, almost violently, pushing her up against the wall, his body close to her own to keep her from escaping.

"I... I..." Her voice broke, as reality caught up with her and she felt her strength crumble beneath his gaze. What had she actually done? "I... I am sorry." Tears started to roll down her cheeks and she bent her head down to hide them.

Kili had decided not to give her any mercy, when he had been awakened by the soft creaking of his platform and seen the girl head across the floor and outside.

He had been quick at getting up and awakening the others, before he headed out after her. Right in time, obviously.

Somewhere behind him, he could hear the sleepy voices of the other dwarves, as they discussed the events, and under his hands, was the trembling form of the girl he had just saved from a certain death. He was not sure what was most distressing to him.

"It is not me you have to apologise to", he hissed, his voice still harsh as he let go of her and took a step back.

Watching her eyes rise and her hands pull the thick blanket closer around herself, he almost felt a bit sorry for her sake. His uncle would not be gentle about this. Nor Gandalf.

Actually, when he thought about it, he knew none of them were.

"What do you think you are playing at, my lady?" Thorin had now marched up to them, his dark eyes sparkling with an angry fire. "You put us all in danger by breaking the only rule you had to follow! Do you know how stupid you were?" His hand harshly lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"I... I thought someone was in danger out there", she murmured, her foolishness obvious to her now. How could she even have thought this was a good idea from the start? "I heard a pounding noise and I thought it was Beorn that had been locked out." Her explanation was stupid, and she was well aware of that as she spoke it. Beorn was the master of the house and he could come and go as he pleased.

"Really, Clara? Really?" The other dwarves had now also gathered around them, and Fili's voice was both sarcastic and harsh.

Having so many around her, judging her for her mistake, was too much, and Clara looked up, anger suddenly sparkling in her eyes.

"I have said that I am sorry. I cannot do more than that. I know how stupid I was and I know I made a terrible mistake, but just be silent about it, okay?" Pushing her way out of the small crowd and fighting the tears, she headed back towards where her bed was.

Trying to block out as the others debated among themselves, she lay down on the platform, her back towards the room, and pulled her blankets up around her. She did not even want to acknowledge the existence of herself at that moment.

She hated herself for what she had done and the dwarves going on about it, did not make it better. She was ashamed by her actions and knew that her friends would most certainly not be over it the next morning, no matter how much she wanted them to be.

It took almost an hour for the dwarves to head back to bed and fall asleep again. During this time, Clara lay awake, pretending to be asleep. She did not want to confront them, nor hear them plan what to do with her. So she kept quiet and laid low until the mingled snores and slow breaths were back.

That was when she started crying for real. Tears streamed down her face and quiet sobs escaped her shaking body as she curled up under the blankets.

Now, the real shock, sadness and anger of what had happened, hit her for real and she felt as if she was going to break up into pieces. Small, delicate pieces of her, shattered across the world.

She knew this was not the end of everything. She knew that, in the end, she would forget it and they would all laugh at it, but right at that moment that was pushed away from her head. All she knew was that it was going to get worse. One day, very soon, she would do something worse.

Keeping this thought in her head, she closed her eyes and took deep, shaking breaths. The sleep came softly creeping, taking her from her thoughts and wake world, to the land of dreams where the shadows awaited her...

The dwarves stayed in the house of Beorn for quite a few days. They all needed the rest, and Beorn was a friendly host that did not show if he was annoyed by their stay or not.  
Clara, being ashamed of her actions, stayed as far away from the others as she could. Even though they had all realised it had all been a mistake and that she had not really meant to do it, she would not let herself get over it or talk to anyone except Beorn or Bilbo.

Beorn was, while he found the quarrel stupid, a compassionate man and he found himself spending more and more time every day with the girl.

He taught her about his bees and let her help him take care of his many horses. He could see that she had a good hand with the big animals and liked having her around while he cared for them.

She was a good person to talk to, and her willingness to learn appealed him.

Still, he did not like how sad the look in her eyes was. As soon as her smiled faded, and she turned away, he could see the hint of sadness and it worried him. Something was not right, and he was quick at informing both the dwarves and Gandalf about this.

"I have a feeling something is very wrong", he murmured to the old wizard, as he nodded towards the open door. Through it, they could see the real seated outside under the dark sky, her expression sad and her head turned towards the stars. She had chosen not to join them all for their last feast in Beorn's house, and instead had her dinner outside on the terrace.

"I believe you are right." Gandalf nodded slowly, his eyes turning towards the cheerful dwarves. None of them seemed to listen very closely to their conversation. "This cannot go on, for I believe we will need her good side back before we leave in the morning."

Beorn hummed in reply at this, taking a sip from his mug.

"I believe you are right. Any spark of spirit is needed in the forest of Mirkwood. No matter how small."

"And Clara is our spark." The serious voice of Kili cut in, and the two men looked up, surprised someone had actually listened to them.  
"Indeed." Also Thorin cut in, nodding seriously. "We have been very bad at realising this, I believe. But she is. No matter how small, she is our spark." The dwarf sipped his mead, a small sigh escaping his lips.

"I believe I know how to get our spark back." Kili looked at the three elders, a sudden glimmer of hope lighting in his eyes as he rose from the table, cutting short the song the other dwarves had been singing. "I believe I have been stupid for not seeing this before." A nervous smile came upon his lips as he stepped over the bench and looked out over his friends.  
The gathered around the table stared at him for a moment, before they nodded in unison and returned back to their meal, knowing now what the young dwarf was planning.

Kili took a deep breath, a warm, bubbly feeling spreading through his body as he turned away and started towards the door, his eyes glued upon the girl that did not see him coming.

With soft steps, for a dwarf that is, he stepped outside and carefully pushed the door closed behind him. The silence fell immediately and he took a deep breath of the fresh air in a try to calm the butterflies making loops in his stomach.

Clearing his throat to catch Clara's attention, he studied her features in the moonlight. The blonde hair cascading over her shoulders and back, the clear blue eyes distantly staring out into the face, and the soft rosy lips, pursed together in thought.

Smiling to himself as she did not notice his arrival, he started towards her, his palms slightly sweaty.

"Clara?" His voice was stronger than he thought and watched slightly amused as she jumped in surprise.

"Hm?" Her eyes turned towards him, and he felt the butterflies loop even more as their eyes met. "What do you want?" Her voice was slightly harsh as the surprised expression disappeared and was replaced by an irritated frown.

"Clara, without you, we cannot continue. Without you being our spark, the company would not work. Everyone has their special place and without any of us, it would fall apart." He took a deep breath as he stepped closer to her. "Without you, we would not succeed." He took another step closer and bent down, his face hovering close to hers. "Without you, I would not want to go on." His hand came up to cup her cheek, and he stared into her eyes for a moment, a now shocked expression filling them. "With you around, I do not have to prove myself to anyone." Taking another deep breath, he leaned down the last bit, his lips catching hers. He did not even want to think about the consequences. About the future or her reaction.

He just wanted to bring back the spark.

_Author's note: Well, I've only got two things to say about this: 1. Sorry for taking so long. My spark was missing. 2. Wow, this really didn't go as I planned. I didn't even know what to write an hour ago and then... poof. o.o_


End file.
